Greetings EPIK teachers and TaLK scholars!

I am Jin-Young Roh, the Executive Director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Department at the National Institute for International Education. I hope you all stay safe and sound.

The year 2020 has been the most challenging year for all of us due to COVID-19 pandemic. The coronavirus has impacted many aspects of our lives. Promoting personal and public hygiene became our #1 priority. During this time, it is not easy to live outside of your home country, and we appreciate your stay in Korea.

COVID-19 has changed the way you teach, learn and connect with one another. We needed to keep social distancing at all times, and only small-sized classes or classes in some rural areas were strictly allowed. However, COVID-19 could not stop keeping our children learning and growing. All schools in Korea provided new online classes and online systems to help continue learning. We have seen incredible EPIK teachers and TaLK scholars respond through their work and commitment. On behalf of NIIED, I would like to thank all of you for your efforts and dedication to teaching English in Korea.

This year, we missed many cultural, fun activities inside and outside of school. In this issue, we hope to share some interesting stories of you who have spent months responding to COVID-19. Thank you to those who shared your valuable experiences with us. I hope these will help your meaningful journey in Korea. Once again, please stay safe and have a happy holiday season!

Sincerely,

Jin-Young Roh
International Exchange and Cooperation Department Executive Director